My first experience dining in Helen, and we had a wonderful time! The view of the river from the deck was so scenic and our server was very attentive and friendly. The manager came to our table to chat and was sweet as can be. We got the Tortilla chips with salsa and jalapeño queso as our appetizer and it was great. Our meals came out fast and my pastrami sandwich was juicy and flavorful! My dinner guest loved her meal as well and raves about the place for a week before we went. The beer was crisp and we had an overall relaxed and enjoyable meal. read more

Cafe International - American Near Me - Helen, Georgia

My 9 year old kid: The place was barely OK.I just had some spaghetti and French bread. It was not the best place ever and I could have picked it up from Subway.I told everyone we should get Subway but no one listened.The cheese for my pasta was packaged!Which kind of restaurant gives packaged cheese?They say this is 100 percent German food but there is barley any German food.When they serve food,some of the meals come with chips.They literally give you Original Ruffles. Me: The discrimination was beyond anything I've usually faced. They seemed nice at the onset calling out why they needed to seat our big group separately but the fact that their servers were laughing at us/ridiculing in our faces when we're providing them with a paycheck is heartless and completely unprofessional. Good Luck to those servers trying to make a living in this world. The worst: the food SUCKED BIIIIG Time. High priced, low quality(pre-packaged cheese and chips, felt like airplane food !!) and microscopic sausages which is so not German. read more

Cafe International's menu reminds me of middle school, in that I had a choice of languages: German, French, Spanish or Latin, similar to having a menu choice of German, French, Spanish or American food here. My boyfriend and I had come to Helen for a day trip, and we arrived just in time for a late lunch. Since we wanted to sit by the river and watch the tubers floating by continually, we had our choice between Cafe International and The Troll Tavern across the bridge. Since my cell service in Helen was non-existent preventing me from consulting Yelp about our choices, we took a chance and chose Cafe International. It was a fine choice judging by the options. We were seated at a round wooden table just a little ways from the edge of the deck overlooking the river and our waitress was very friendly, if a little quick to try and our orders. In short order, my boyfriend decided to get the German wurst platter with bratwurst and sauerbraten, warm potato salad, and red cabbage. I had a harder time making a decision since almost everything (with the exception of one salad on the menu) was a sandwich. Finally, I chose the bbq pork sandwich with chips and a pickle, and we agreed to share. Everything was prepared well and came out quickly (which was quite important by that point, as we were both very hungry). To my pleasant surprise, the pork sandwich was not all bun and little pork, but very substantially filled with pork, which wasn't too heavily sauced either. I also had half of my boyfriend wurst platter, and it was tasty too : the sauerbraten was my favorite of the two sausages and the warm potato salad was definitely different than anything I'd had before. I wasn't a fan of the red cabbage, but oh well - the choice was between that or sauerkraut... In all, the food did its job: it filled us up. It wasn't outstanding, the river watching was probably one of the highlights of the restaurant, but then Helen's not known for its restaurant quality anyway. If and when we go back, I may opt for the Troll Tavern across the river and test out its offerings, but Cafe International certainly deserves at least three stars for its large, ample patio. read more

Nice setting by the Chattahoocie River. The Reuben enough tender meat, melted cheese, kraut and toasted rye bread to last a week! read more

Cafe International - Behold. - American Near Me - Helen, Georgia

I was trying to quickly find us a place to eat one night and I briefly read the menu at the entrance. I saw that they featured foods from different regions and thought "Cool!" without ACTUALLY looking at the choices. This place is outdoor seating only (Right? Or did I miss something?) and it's right on the river, so probably a prime people watching place to have cocktails/beer during tubing season. We sat down and they had a DJ/Karaoke man who was very Santa Claus like and enjoyed country music. So, the menu...it's adorable: France - The French Dip (Oui) Italy - Lasagna, Pizza and something else I'm pretty sure didn't originate from Italty Germany - Lots o' options mostly involving the bratwurst. I chose from this country since we were in "Germany in the South" and had some brats and sauerkraut. Brats were ok, sauerkrat wasn't the best I'd ever had, to be honest. Other International Specialities included the Greek Salad and something from Scandanavia, involving seafood. We heard the reuben was the "best in town" so my friend had that and thought it was good. Service was very friendly and pretty quick. This place was great for people watching. We got to watch some ladies break it down on the "dance floor" and were awarded a t-shirt by one of the employees for being the "best dancers." To be fair, they were the ONLY dancers and I hadn't gotten out there yet. :-P read more

Best Ruben around and Traci was a Super server. Beautiful river views and sounds! Reasonable prices for Helen. Combination of good food and location makes it one of the best places to eat and drink in Helen! read more

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The customer service is amazing! I accidentally dropped my wedding ring on the patio which fell underneath the deck. Our server gave us a flashlight which my husband used for about an hour to try and find it with no luck. We gave up but gave the manager, Sigar (sounds like cigar) my number and said he would call if they found it. I had no hope but 15 min later got a text that employee, Richie, had found it! We could not believe it but we're so grateful for the manager following through on his word plus Richie going above and beyond! Our sever was also so kind but unfortunately I do not remember her name but a beautiful brunette- our time in Helen turned out so much more positive after I got the ring. And good food! read more

it was okay. I loved the fresh baked chips and apple beer. My waitress was spunky... Despite this, my food wasn't as good as I expected. The view was great the kids and I took a patio seat in the heat... The price was kind of steep; I would go again and try the Ruben, the guy next to me said it was mouth watering. read more

We came here on vacation and the town is so cute and different that we had to try a place to eat. So we chose Cafe International. I had the chicken soup with tortilla chips, this soup was really good and it was perfect for the cold weather in December, especially since we were brave enough to sit outside. I also ordered the ruben which was very good, the bread was a bit soggy so I didn't finish all the bread and the coleslaw was very tasty. We opted to try the German Chocolate Cake, it was good but not enough chocolate for my taste buds. It could have been better. The service was good and the atmosphere was great. xo, kristin nicole read more

I visited Atlanta and my friend brought me here. It's her favourite restaurant in Germantown. Oh wow, I'm still dreaming about their German potato salad and all its vinegary goodness. I chickened out on the German style foods (I was worried about meat overload) but my sandwich was delicious and I kept eyeing my friend's wiener... which sounds dirtier than I meant it to. It was perfect patio season and we got to watch over the river, seeing all the tubes float by. read more

This is my first time here and it has amazing view by the river. I had the best Reuben which actually lived up to its name, they have it named in the menu. Sitting here by the river and eating was very relaxing! The staff was great and super friendly. Best part was the river which was great. read more

Cafe International - American Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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Extremely impressed by the friendly service and great German food!! We had also went to Bodensee and in my opinion Cafe Intl had better food and MUCH better service! The brats were delicious!!! We will be back!! read more

This place was so fun!!! I loved the German Wurst Platter for lunch it was delicious!! We got to sit on the water and watch the tubers. Our server was so friendly and I give this place an A++! After 15 years of coming to Helen, Ga I was excited to finally try this place and I will definitely come back! Prices were reasonable and the tables were large. read more

Cafe International - Delicious German Wurst Platter - American Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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The Ruben ya'll! The best. The river is a plus I would go eat this Ruben in a box or with a fox as long as Nicole is our server Order was a lil bit off but we just spoke up and the fixed it no problem. Thanks for great night out. We will be back. read more

This place doesn't even or one star. Went in here ate lunch and in my salad found a cockroach. When brought up to staff member was licked at like I was crazy. I do not recommend this restaurant. read more

Food was overpriced and mediocre at best. Tables by stream were nice. Service was ok other than being told people were waiting on a table that the hostess sat at by manager.. However hostess and servicer were friendly read more

In town with some friends to celebrate the O'Fest. They arranged lunch here for our group (12+) as they have come here for years. Wait time was long, but what do you expect for a large group in the middle of crazy. We ended up being seating in "the prime tables", right on the water. Scratch the wait time! Everyone raved on the Reuben. So with that, we ordered them. To die for, they really know how to make it. We'll be back...rooms already reserved for next year. :) read more

This place is great. The food is sooo good. The best Reuben sandwith in the world... Lol . The waitress was so kind. She made the meal taste even more better. Her smile made my day...The sound of the river passing by with the cool breeze... What a wonderful day... Thank you read more

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Because we ate dinner pretty late, we opted to eat inside. At first, we didn't have a very good impression because we walked into the dining room and waited. It was empty and there was no one to be found to seat us. Finally a waitress popped out of the kitchen to tell us to seat ourselves and she'd get our waitress. A VERY nice server got our drinks and we placed our orders. I ordered the salad with house dressing, my husband had the italian sausage sandwich (he makes sure to tell the waitress that he doesn't want the pickle on the plate and light sauce on sandwich), and my kids ordered a bar-b-q sandwich and the Camel Rider (pita with a lot of different meats. When we got our food and the pickle was on my husbands plate and the juice was all over his chips (which is not world ending but frustrating when you hate pickles and ask specifically not for any). He asked for new chips and was given a ton. Unfortunately, no one in our party liked them. They were stale tasting. Also my husband's did not have light sauce. The salad was good but something I could have gotten in any restaurant anywhere. The menu said it had the finest ham and cheeses...well, it the cheese was shredded and straight out of a bag and the ham looked like deli ham. The dressing on the salad was VERY good. The Bar BQ sandwich was good but my son did not like the Camel Rider at all. He felt it was greasy and he ate none of it. Pros: Friendly staff (once we found someone), homemade honey ranch dressing, the italian sausage was good and so was the Bar B Q. The german potato salad was AMAZING. Cons: Pretty pricey for what we had. Kitchen didn't pay attention to details and I felt it was a fairly generic fair. read more

Awesome location, overlooking the river & even more memorable food. Had the Reuben, one of the best we'hv ever had! Also the Scandinavian Shrimp & Crab salad was spectacular & substantial. Though busy the service was hospitality at its best & to top it all the Erdinger was chilled. Did i mention we were there on a Tuesday & half this town seems closed & we still found this gem buzzing! read more

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Two stars because I feel sorry for the server, but the took forever to bring the good and I got a fly on my chips, a dead hairy fly , that all I'm gonna say! , Everyone else's food was good, I was the unlucky one read more

They offer outdoor seating, but not social distancing outside. Staff was wearing masks. Keep in mind they have a MUCH limited menu at this time. The food was good though, we tried the Reuben and the veggie burger. read more

Great...fun place especially during Oktoberfest. Get a Reuben and some beer! Best beer selection in Helen. Watch our interview with the beertender and one of the owners here: http://pennietour.com/2010/10/28/oktoberfest-2010-in-helen-georgia/ read more

It was a lot better when Bruce owned it. The new owner likes to skip on the meat he puts in a sandwich. We probably won't go back.

This is the best place in HELEN to get a RUBEN!! I have tried many other establishments in Helen and not her one can compare ! The corn beef is soooo thin and very well marinated! The cheese is melted to perfection . The kraut is vinegary but not too sharp. The bread is grilled and buttered to an amazing crunch to hold up to this over stuffed sandwich! The slaw was a bit sweet for my taste, but I love vinegar:) what else can I say for a river side eatery with outdoor seating! The sodas were large and icy and the Pilsner went Down easy! The cheesecake.. if you can fit in desert--- get it! If you spend the morning tubing or walking around town, this is the perfect lunch spot! Oh and there is plenty of entertainment! The deck overlooks a rocky/ rough spot where tubers get stuck and have to navigate rapids. Our kids were mesmerized! read more

We came with a group of 25 on a very busy day in Helen, and they were super accommodating, which is more than I can say about the rest of the restaurants in the area. The food was delicious (all 25 of us agreed) and the live music was wonderful! Highly recommend. read more

Great wurst and French dip. We sat right by the river and watched people floating while we ate lunch. The Rueben sandwich was really good as well. Great place to take the whole family. read more

Cute little cafe by the river. Ordered a bratwurst, and some German chocolate cake. Nice environment and they have a souvenir beer mug! read more

Cafe International - Got a leinenkugel with a souvenir mug! - American Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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Good beer selection. My kids shared a pb&j and it was average. My mother in law had the German platter with potato salad, sauerkraut and sausages. She liked it but said it was average German food. The best food of the meal was my French dip, which was good but not amazing. I'd come back here for the beer only. read more

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Just ok. The turkey sandwich was ok. The camel rider was terrible. Service was very friendly. Would give this place another try but would try something different the burgers looked good. It is a noisy outside place. Nice view of the river if your lucky enough to get a table there. People had their dogs with them which was kinda fun. read more

I am a long time Reubenholic, and this is the best Reuben I've ever had. My only complaint was that they didn't have free refills on sandwiches :D Great staff, great food, even my picky kids who never eat anything finished their meals, and wanted more. I can't wait to get back to Helen for another amazing sandwich! read more

We have eaten here for 20 plus years and had the best Reuben and French dip. Ate there yesterday and absolutely had the worst ever. Don't know if they have changed owners but the sandwiches had very little meat and they have changed the bread. Use to have very generous portions now you leave hungry. Sadly it has been a family tradition to eat here for generations now we will be sad not to eat there. Prices have gone way up and not worth the m read more

We arrived to helens town looking for some nice place to eat , the place itself looks good and the ambience and the river really make the place standout, the food was Horrible!! I have never eat something so bad all of my family couldn't finish their dish service was ok but the food 0 star read more

Abbey is awesome!!! Service was top notch! Beer was cold and the food was really good. We mainly stuck to appetizers but everything we saw going past the table looked delicious. The view is top notch. Water side is definitely worth the visit! read more

The food here is awesome. Prime rib sandwich, great mix in the salad and substituted German potatoe salad for Cole slaw. Always busy, always accommodating. read more

Wanted to support a local restaurant, but they wouldn't do separate checks for a small group. Won't be back!

Wasn't impressed with the food or the service. The best item we had was the pretzel. So I would recommend stopping in for a pretzel and a beer. read more

The sandwhiches are delicious but the service was not great. Waitress was very friendly but took Forever to take Our order and get the check. The rueben really is delicious and so is the pastrami. Yummy. read more

We were there this evening and as always, the food was good, but I was INCREDIBLY disappointed with the coffee. I was hoping to just email them privately about this issue as it may seem trivial to most, but there is no email address available. My husband and i both ordered coffee. The waitress said she was going to brew a fresh pot. Okay, great! So, our app arrives; no coffee. Our dinner arrives -- along with our coffee. It was lukewarm. I mean so lukewarm that I gulped it down because a) I was thirsty and b) it was lukewarm! I was hoping the refill would be up to temp but no such luck. It was colder than the first one. I wouldn't be complaining but at $2.50 for coffee, I expect something decent! The Reuben was good, the hummus was good, but the $2.50 coffee was CRAPTASTIC. read more

Best Ruben I have had in a fine town of Helen, many good choices and cold beer, it's a must for lunch!